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MILLERSBURG, Ohio (AP) — A northeastern Ohio boy admitted he fatally shot his mother in the head
with a rifle when he was 10 after what a relative described as an argument over chores.

Joseph McVay, now 13, entered the equivalent of a guilty plea on Monday in juvenile court.

In January 2011, the boy went to a neighbor’s house, called 911 and told the dispatcher he had
shot his mother at their home in rural Holmes County, about 70 miles northeast of Columbus.“I shot
my mom. I shot her with a gun,” he said.

At the time, his uncle said the boy and his mother, 46-year-old Deborah L. McVay, had argued
about carrying firewood.

Defense attorney Andy Hyde said his client lived in an emotionally abusive environment, was
provoked by his mother’s screaming and “just snapped.”

Joseph McVay “is one of those that I just feel sorry for,” Hyde said. “He had a lot dumped on
him at a young age and responded inappropriately, but the spur-of-the-moment decision now will
affect the rest of his life.”

McVay will be sentenced later and could be held in a youth facility until he’s 21. Hyde said
yesterday that the judge can consider a range of placement options, and he will ask that the boy go
to a residential treatment facility with access to counseling.

County Prosecutor Steve Knowling told
The Repository of Canton that the plea deal avoids a trial, which would have benefited no
one.

“It’s obviously a very difficult situation because of his age, but it’s still a murder case,”
Knowling said.McVay said he understood his plea agreement during the hearing, which was attended by
his father and other relatives,
The Repository reported.

The issue of a trial had been on hold because McVay initially was found not competent for one.
The court then found him competent earlier this year.

Hyde said his client has received counseling for anxiety and depression and can’t bring himself
to talk about the shooting.

While the Associated Press did not report the defendant’s name,
The Dispatch’s policy generally is to name juveniles who have been charged and convicted
of felony-level crimes.